Summary
When it comes to publishing compelling indie games, few studios have the same kind of winning track record as Devolver Digital. The Austin-based publisher has made a name for itself by publishing some of the most successful breakout indie titles over the last decade, and its upcoming sandbox survival gameWizard With a Gunlooks to continue this trend, gaining some positive press and initial impressions from its closed beta ahead of release on October 17.Wizard With a Gun’s developer Galvanic Games is also an experienced studio with several games under its belt, giving every indication that the 1.0 launch of the title will present players with a polished experience forDevolver Digitalfans.
Described by Devolver as “an online cooperative sandbox survival game set in a magical wilderness wrought with dangerous creatures and arcane mysteries”,Wizard With a Gunlooks to borrow elements from other successful indie titles across its various elements. The art style and tongue-in-cheek humor calls to mindlast year’sCult of the Lamb(also published by Devolver Digital), and with regard to its unique spell-combining mechanic,Wizard With a Gunseems to share some DNA with the cult-classic PC titleNoita, albeit with a much more accessible approach.
RELATED:Cult of the Lamb Still Turns Horror and Cuteness on Its Head a Year Later
All Wizard With a Gun Official Screenshots So Far
AlthoughWizard With a Gunis a self-described survival game, the screenshots that have been revealed so far show that title has a heavy emphasis on combat. The isometric perspective and cartoonish visual style highlightWizard With a Gun’s spell casting mechanic, which allows players to combine various spells and come up with their own unique incantations to use when combating the game’s various enemies. MuchlikeNoita, players have to be careful when combining and empowering their spells, which have the potential to quickly go from simple fireballs to screen-engulfing blazes.
The developer notes that theenvironments inWizard With a Gunare procedurally generated, and players will need to scavenge these environments for resources to use in the game’s crafting economy. Any resources collected can be used to create and combine spells to produce unique abilities, and these abilities can be upgraded to increase their effectiveness in combat. Additionally, players can customize their wizard with a unique wardrobe and accessories, helping their in-game avatars stand out when playing with friends in co-op.
One of the most striking features ofWizard With a Gunis its art style, which mixes high strangeness with a cartoonish aesthetic similar to games likeCult of the Lambor fellowsurvival titleDon’t Starve. The cel-shaded visuals and humorous enemy designs all point toward a game that promises to provide plenty of laugh-out-loud moments as players inadvertently explode themselves through misengineered spells while trying to take out various eldritch horrors.
RELATED:Returning to Cult of the Lamb for Its DLC Could Be as Uncomfortable as Coming Back to Animal Crossing
Wizard With a Gun Reveal Trailer
The initial reveal trailer forWizard With a Gunarrived two years ago in 2021, providing players with a brief glimpse of the title’s gameplay preceded by a moody and atmospheric animated short. From what’s shown in the reveal trailer, there are glimpses of the game’s world, art style, and crafting mechanics, but most of the trailer is spent highlighting the game’s atmosphere and art style. AlthoughWizard With a Gunis now headed to all modern platforms, the initial reveal trailer classifies the title as only heading to PC andNintendo Switch.
Wizard With a Gun Single-Player Gameplay Overview
Despite advertising itself as a co-op survival game,Wizard With a Gundoes include a full single-player mode. The second official trailer for the game reveals the single-player experience for those that are interested in the title but prefer to play solo. This trailer is also preceded by an animated short but goes more in-depth into the mechanics and flow ofWizard With a Gun’s gameplay, giving players more concrete details regarding what they can expect during the game’s runtime.
Wizard With a Gun Release Date Trailer
The third officialtrailer forWizard With a Gundetails the title’s release date, which is coming up soon on October 17. Considering that the game was initially revealed in 2021,Wizard With a Gunhas undergone somewhat of a lengthy development process between its debut and eventual release. This third trailer continues the trend established by the other two by starting things off with an animated short introducing players toWizard With a Gun’s world before delving into some gameplay footage.
Wizard With a Gun – Gunmancer’s Diary: Ammo Craftwork
The most recent trailer forWizard With a Gunfocuses on the title’s spell crafting as well as the various recipes that players can expect to craft in-game that grant their titular guns with various spells as ammunition. Rather than include another animated short to kick things off, this trailer dives right into gameplay footage before shining the spotlight on a handful of different ammunition recipes and their ingredients. If this latest trailer is any indication,Devolver Digital’s latest gamepromises to keep up the publisher’s current hot streak.
Wizard With a Gunlaunches October 17 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, with a Switch release coming later.
